Manual Handling Risk Assessment

KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

Education and Young Persons

MANUAL HANDLING

RISK ASSESSMENT PACKAGE

May 2015

(original doc. January 2003)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION......

1.1 Quantifying risk......

1.2 Areas of formal assessment......

1.3 Frequency of risk assessment......

PRO FORMA DOCUMENTS

Generic risk assessment......

Risk assessment for individual students......

Risk assessment for reduced handling capacity (staff)......

1. Introduction

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992) states that any organisation that requires its staff to carry out moving and handling tasks at work must:

avoid manual handling operations involving a risk of injury, so far as is reasonably practicable.

assess such tasks that cannot be avoided. The assessment must be conducted by a competent person and use an ergonomic approach – taking into account the task, the load, the working environment and the individual capacities of those carrying out the tasks. The assessment should be recorded and readily available.

reduce the risks identified in the assessment to the lowest level that is reasonably practicable using appropriate control measures.

This package contains suggested formats for gathering information on manual handling hazards, determining the likelihood and severity of any injury or harm arising from these hazards and the formulation of an action plan to minimise any resulting risks. These formats are suggestions only – any “suitable and sufficient” format is acceptable under the legislation and schools are able to modify the enclosed formats, use other existing formats or develop their own customised forms if preferred.

1.1 Quantifying risk

Part of the assessment is to determine whether hazards in the workplace constitute a high, medium or low risk of moving and handling injury. This will depend on a combination of factors – the severity of any potential injury and the likelihood of the injury occurring. The formula for quantifying the resulting risk is as follows:

Likelihood Severity

1 = Improbable1 = Low (minimal effect)

2 = Possible2 = Medium (injuries may require 3 days absence)

3 = Probable3 = High (longer periods of absence or hospitalisation)

Risk score (Risk = likelihood x severity)

1very low risk (no action required)

2low risk (non-urgent action required)

3medium risk (deal with as soon as possible)

4fairly high risk (deal with urgently)

6 high risk (deal with immediately)

9very high risk (stop practice until control measures in place)

So for example a possible risk (2) of a medium severity injury requiring 3 days away from work (2) would be classified as 2x2 = 4 – a fairly high risk – deal with urgently.

1.2 Areas of formal assessment

The three areas of risk assessment are:

Generic risk assessment covering the whole school or office together with any locations visited by staff outside these sites as part of their duties.

Pupil risk assessment to be completed for every pupil whose management requires staff to participate in moving and handling tasks.

Individual risk assessment to be competed for any member of staff whose capacity for moving and handling at work may be impaired.

N.B. There is also a legislative requirement to maintain a register of staff who may be at risk from manual handling injury due to their required tasks at work.

1.3 Frequency of risk assessment

The frequency of risk assessment review and updating is not specified in legislation, however an annual review would generally be regarded as acceptable unless the circumstances were changing rapidly – requiring a greater frequency of review. All assessments must be updated following any major change in circumstances – e.g.: a new school building or significant changes to a pupil or staff members’ mobility skills.

The following pages contain formats for the documents listed below. For electronic copies please e-mail , or download from:

Register of staff at risk of Manual Handling Injury

Register of Manual Handling Equipment

Generic Risk Assessment

Individual Pupil Risk Assessment

Individual Staff Member Risk Assessment

CONFIDENTIAL

REGISTER OF STAFF MEMBERS AT RISK OF MANUAL HANDLING INJURY

(include all staff who carry out load handling – animate or inanimate - as part of their work duties)

Name of School
Name of person responsible for maintaining register
Staff member / Job Title / Requires individual risk assessment yes/no / Date of last Manual Handling Training / Date of planned Manual
Handling Training
Register of staff members at risk of Manual Handling Injury (continued)
Staff member / Job Title / Requires individual risk assessment yes/no / Date of last Manual Handling Training / Date of planned Manual
Handling Training

REGISTER OF MOVING AND HANDLING EQUIPMENT

Name of School
Name of person responsible for maintaining register
Type of equipment / Manufacturer
(model, serial no. if app) / Issued by: / General use or individual student (name) / Service contract yes/no / Date of last service
Register of Moving and Handling Equipment (continued)
Type of equipment / Usual site of equipment / Manufacturer
(model, serial no. if app) / Issued by: / General use or individual student (name) / Date of last service

GENERIC RISK ASSESSMENT

Name of School
Address of school
Assessor(s) and Job Titles
Name……………………………………
Job Title ……………………………….. / Name……………………………………
Job Title ……………………………….. / Name……………………………………
Job Title ………………………………..
Date of assessment / Date of review

The generic risk assessment for manual handling is designed to identify manual handling hazards in the workplace and quantify the associated risks. Information is gathered in the first sections in order to select reasonably practicable and appropriate control measures – which are then listed in the action plan. The questions posed are not an exhaustive list – each assessor should include factors which may be particular to their own workplace. In cases where the required action may take some time to fund and implement it may be necessary to also specify short-term control measures in order to reduce risks to acceptable levels. The assessment follows the TILE(E) formula:

T(asks):All moving and handling tasks of animate or inanimate loads within the school or office.

I(ndividualThe levels of staff expertise and training (techniques and equipment) and the

capabilities):requirement for individual assessments. Cross-refer with the register of staff at risk from manual handling at work.

L(oads):The particular needs of the student group and the level of object handling required.

E(nvironment):Constraints due to environmental features or available space.

E(quipment)The quantity and suitability of current moving and handling equipment. Cross refer with the register of Manual Handling Equipment

Some information may be duplicated between the generic risk assessment and individual student or staff member assessments. In such cases cross-reference should be made between the documents.

Generic risk assessment

name of School:

Section one – tasks

/ Give details of occasions and frequency
Do current handling tasks require bearing the full body weights of students or any load at the limit of weight handling guidelines (using one or more staff)?
Are specific tasks required for planned emergency situations (e.g. fire evacuation or medication during a seizure)?
Do tasks require holding or moving loads at a distance away from the body, particularly from the floor or reaching high?
Do any tasks require excessive pushing/pulling, particularly in confined spaces (e.g.: corridors)?
Do any tasks require a high frequency of repetition within a short period of time (e.g. assisting a large number of children)
Do tasks carried out in community locations cause particular difficulties e.g. when swimming, riding etc?
Review the accident logbook for moving and handling incidents – have all contributing hazards been identified and moderated?
Additional notes (use for particular issues within the school, or tasks that are commonly reported as difficult):
Indicate the level of risk due to the current task factors
(Refer to guidance notes for calculation of risk severity and likelihood)
Risk score and classification
(circle as applicable for the factors above) / high / medium / low
NB. High or medium levels of risk require completion of the action plan (identifying steps to reduce the level of risk)

Section two – Individual Capabilities

/ Teaching staff / Teaching or Welfare Assistants / Other staff (specify)
Number of staff registered as being at risk of manual handling injury at work
Number of staff who are currently waiting for (i.e.: require) moving and handling training – either initial or for annual update
Yes/no – give details
Have all staff who carry out moving and handling tasks received on-site training/supervision on the safe use of equipment and techniques in their workplace (as detailed in current care plans)
Do any members of staff require personal risk assessments for health reasons?
Do any tasks require unusual strength or capability – or might pose a threat to those who may be pregnant or suffer from musculo-skeletal injuries
Additional notes:
Indicate the level of risk due to the current Individual factors
(Refer to guidance notes for calculation of risk severity and likelihood)
Risk score and classification
(circle as applicable for the factors above) / high / medium / low
NB. High or medium levels of risk require completion of the action plan (identifying steps to reduce the level of risk)
Section three – Loads / Give numbers and details as appropriate
How many students require moving and handling support to facilitate their mobility or primary care?
How many students have additional difficulties that may influence safe manual handling such as communication difficulties, sensory loss or challenging behaviours?
Do all students requiring assistance have accurate, up-to-date and accessible care plans?
Give details, e.g.: significant, moderate, low
What level of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling of objects is required in school e.g. teaching materials, stores, pushing wheelchairs, loading vehicles? (Include tasks that may be carried out by a caretaker or kitchen/domestic staff and consider any wheeled trolleys that may be provided)
Which tasks require handling loads that are inherently difficult to
move e.g. hot, heavy, unstable, sharp, unwieldy?
Additional notes:
Indicate the level of risk due to the current Load factors
(Refer to guidance notes for calculation of risk severity and likelihood)
Risk score and classification
(circle as applicable for the factors above) / high / medium / low
NB. High or medium levels of risk require completion of the action plan (identifying steps to reduce the level of risk)

Section four – Environment

/ Give details of location (bathroom/teaching area/community location etc.)
Does lack of space constrain safe postures or suitable equipment?
Are any of the floor areas uneven or slippery?
Are areas of the school liable to be cluttered with obstacles that prevent easy access?
Are there any areas where steps or stairs give rise to manual handling risks?
Is the environment modified to enable students to be as self-managing as possible – grab rails, handling aids etc?
Is the environmental lighting, ambient temperature and ventilation suitable for handling tasks?
Are there currently any plans for alterations to the school building in order improve accessibility for all students to the whole school curriculum? (circle) / yes already underway / yes as part of the accessibility plan / no
Give additional details, e.g. where there are several relevant bathroom/toilet areas
Indicate the level of risk due to the current Environment factors
(Refer to guidance notes for calculation of risk severity and likelihood)
Risk score and classification
(circle as applicable for the factors above) / high / medium / low
NB. High or medium levels of risk require completion of the action plan (identifying steps to reduce the level of risk)

Section five – Equipment

Give details

Is there sufficient handling equipment and mechanical lifting aids to meet moving and handling tasks without long periods waiting for equipment?
Is the current equipment suitable for all required tasks?
Is equipment available in all situations – e.g. all areas of the school used by students and on school trips or regular visits to community sites (e.g. swimming pools)
Does all mechanical lifting equipment have six monthly servicing and maintenance?
Is there a system in place to record faults in equipment and to maintain cleanliness of equipment and attachments (slings etc.)?
Additional notes:
Indicate the level of risk due to the current Equipment factors
(Refer to guidance notes for calculation of risk severity and likelihood)
Risk score and classification
(circle as applicable for the factors above) / high / medium / low
NB. High or medium levels of risk require completion of the action plan (identifying steps to reduce the level of risk)

GENERIC MANUAL HANDLING RISK ASSESSMENT

ACTION PLAN

The action plan should contain details of control measures to bring the risks identified in the previous pages down to acceptable levels. There may be a range of potential measures – both short term and long term. To demonstrate that a control measure is the most reasonably practicable it may be useful to give details of other strategies and the reasons why they have been rejected.

For example an identified risk may be assisting the transfer of a dependent student to the toilet in a small cubicle. Short-term measures may be to use alternative facilities in another part of the school that can accommodate a mobile hoist, although the distance travelled may cause difficulties with getting to classes on time. An appropriate long-term measure might be to restructure and enlarge the existing area and put in an overhead hoist. The overhead hoist may be more expensive than sharing the mobile hoist, but allows most efficient use of the available room and reduces pulling/pushing stress for the staff member.

Potential control
measures for
Consideration (in no particular order):
Equipment
Provision
Maintenance
Cleaning / Identified risk factors / Short term control measures
(person responsible) / Target date and date of completion / Long term control measures
(person responsible) / Target date and date of completion
Potential control
measures for
Consideration:
Training
On-site/central courses
Supervision
Measure of competence
Guidelines
Student careplans
Individual staff assessments
Guidelines for inanimate load handling / Identified risk factors / Short term control measures
(person responsible) / Target date and date of completion / Long term control measures
(person responsible) / Target date and date of completion

Generic risk assessment

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS

Name of Student / Date of birth
School
Assessor(s)
Assessment date / Review date

PERSONAL PROFILE

Height / Weight
Body build (circle as relevant):
Tall / Average / Below average / Obese / Average / Below average

Summary of medical condition (at time of assessment):

Diagnosis
Vision/Hearing
Communication
Yes/no / Comments
Epilepsy
Fragility
Altered muscle tone
Pain/stiffness
Delicate skin
fractures

Comprehension and compliance:

Tick as appropriate or give relevant information
Understanding as age / Co-operative
Limited understanding / Unco-operative
Unknown / unpredictable

Mobility:

Wheelchair user / Ambulant student
Self propelling in chair – may need assistance on steps etc. / Assistance required all or most of the time when walking
Assistance required all or most of the time / Mostly walks independently (with or without aids)
Able to stand for transfer / Assistance with dressing
Requires hoist for transfer / Assistance in the bathroom
Head control /sitting balance / History of falling

CFE HSU Amended Aug 07 Student risk assessment

Risk Evaluation and Action Plan

Section one – Tasks / Specify tasks and frequency
Do current handling tasks require bearing the full weight of the student (one or two staff)?
Do tasks require assisting the student away from the body or on the floor?
Do any tasks require prolonged or repetitive handling particularly in poor postures?
Indicate the level of risk due to the current task factors
Risk classification (severity x likelihood)
Circle one category / High / Medium / Low
Section two – Individual capability
Are all members of staff who assist the student fully trained in handling techniques and relevant equipment?
Do any staff members require individual assessments?
Do any tasks require unusual strength or capability?
Indicate the level of risk due to the current individual factors
Risk classification (severity x likelihood)
Circle one category / High / Medium / Low
Section three – Load (student)
Does the student have unpredictable movement or behaviour patterns?
Is the student particularly vulnerable to injury during handling procedures?
Is the students’ ability subject to variability – if tired or unwell?
Indicate the level of risk due to the current load factors
Risk classification (severity x likelihood)
Circle one category / High / Medium / Low
Section four – Environment and Equipment
Does lack of space constrain posture or suitable equipment for any tasks?
Are any of the floors slippery, sloping, stepped or uneven?
Is the current equipment provision suitable and adequate?
Is the environment adapted for self-management by the pupil (e.g. grab rails)
Indicate the level of risk due to the current environment and equipment factors
Risk classification (severity x likelihood)
Circle one category / High / Medium / Low

ACTION PLAN

Identified risk factors / Objective/Action
(with person responsible)
include short term measures and long term planning / Target date and completion date
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GUIDELINES AND CARE PLAN

List equipment and techniques used to assist the student

Task / No. staff and equipment / Method to minimise risk (include role of student) / Notes / changes
Moving from sitting to standing
Assisted walking
Steps/stairs
(include fire evacuation)
Transfers to toilet or shower chair
Use of comm. facilities swim, ride
Up and down from the floor
Use of equip: trikes standing frame etc.
Assisted
changing for PE
Rolling onto side or onto tummy
Access to vehicles plus restraint systems